An A nta rcti c Eveni ng on b oard the shi

p Discover

y in Dun dee.

Monday & Tuesday 4 & 5 May 2015 Discovery Point Dundee Scotland Aurora Australis. Scene showing ‘Discovery’ in Winter Quarters. June 1902 issue of the South Polar Times. By Edward A. Wilson. The Arms of the Discovery

3 “Discovery in winter quarters, McMurdo Sound looking north.” Watercolor by E.A. Wilson. (SPRI 1240)

4 AN ANTARCTIC EVENING On board the ship Discovery in Dundee MONday 4 May 2015 TUESDAY 5 May 2015

❧ ❧ A Keepsake commemorating the events & including a listing of those in attendance, the evenings’ programs, the food and drink consumed, much about the Discovery and her time in the Antarctic and her noble lineage, various & sundry particulars on the National Antarctic Expedition and the men who participated in it, some excerpts from diaries and other publications— many long out-of-print {and including the first known re-issue of a rare first-person account of the expedition}— numerous photographs & drawings, &c, &c.

1 those attending monday evening

John Bonham, London.

Suzanne Bonham, London.

Regina Daly, Catskill, New York.

Beth Fitzsimmons, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Joe Fitzsimmons, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Eric Jarvis, Marske, Richmond, North Yorkshire.

Donald Kerr, Bude, Cornwall.

Valerie Kerr, Bude, Cornwall.

Eva Meidl, Hobart, Tasmania.

Cathy Corbishley Michel, Merton Park, London.

Geoff Michel, Merton Park, London.

Patrick Quilty, Hobart, Tasmania.

Capt. Emma Jane McAdam Wells, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland.

Mike Wells, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland.

❦

2 the evening’s program

Aboard the Discovery Monday 4 May 2015

Viewing of exhibits on shore at Discovery Point for those arriving beforehand. ❦ Guests piped aboard RRS Discovery at 7:00 p.m. Drinks & assorted Canapés at 7:00 p.m. in the Laboratory, main deck

❦ Guided tour of the Discovery at 7:30 p.m. ❦ Dinner to commence in the Wardroom at 8:30 p.m.

Smoked Breast of Duck Honey comb, Tahoon cress, Cider vinaigrette, Candy apple Cock-A-Leekie Soup Sea trout Crushed potato & soft herbs, Seasonal greens Tomato & lemon dressing, Coriander leaf Poached Rhubarb Pannacotta, Pomegranate consommé Red and White Wines Coffee & Tea Discovery Port ❦

Th e Di n n e r will be proceeded and followed by—and interspersed with—appropriate greetings, toasts, poems, songs, recitations, genealogical discursions, anecdotes & other topical pieces, and above all else, intelligent & informed conversation of a south polar nature, all for the edification & entertainment of the assembled. ❦ Disembarkation at or before Midnight.

3 those attending TUESday evening

Brad Borkan, Richmond, London.

Larry Conrad, San Diego, California.

Richard C. Dehmel, Hillsborough, California.

Suzy Dehmel, Hillsborough, California.

Kellie O. Gutman, West Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Richard J. S. Gutman, West Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Diana Henderson, San Diego, California.

David Hirzel, Pacifica, California.

Capt. Geraldine McAdam, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

Capt. James McAdam, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

Marjory Spoerri, Stanfordville, New York.

Seamus Taaffe, Athy, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Michael Tarver, Brixham Cross, Devon.

Ken Thomas, Whytleafe, Surrey.

❦

4 the evening’s program

Aboard the Discovery Tuesday 5 May 2015

Viewing of exhibits on shore at Discovery Point for those arriving beforehand. ❦ Guests piped aboard RRS Discovery at 7:00 p.m. Drinks & assorted Canapés at 7:00 p.m. in the Laboratory, main deck

❦ Guided tour of the Discovery at 7:30 p.m. ❦ Dinner to commence in the Wardroom at 8:30 p.m.

Smoked Breast of Duck Honey comb, Tahoon cress, Cider vinaigrette, Candy apple Champagne Sorbet Sea trout Crushed potato & soft herbs, Seasonal greens Tomato & lemon dressing, Coriander leaf Classic Bitter Chocolate & Raspberry Tart Red and White Wines Coffee & Tea Discovery Port ❦

Th e Di n n e r will be proceeded and followed by—and interspersed with—appropriate greetings, toasts, poems, songs, recitations, genealogical discursions, anecdotes & other topical pieces, and above all else, intelligent & informed conversation of a south polar nature, all for the edification & entertainment of the assembled. ❦ Disembarkation at or before Midnight.

5 the ship’s company 1901-04

Of f i c e r s a n d Sc i e n t i f i c St a f f Robert Falcon Scott, Ca p t a i n , r n Albert Borlase Armitage, Li e u t ., r n r , Na v i g a t o r a n d Se c o n d -i n -Co m m a n d Michael Barne, Li e u t ., r n George Frederick Arthur Mulock, Li e u t ., r n *Relieved Shackleton Charles Wyatt Rawson Royds, Li e u t ., r n , Fi r s t Li e u t e n a n t Ernest Henry Shackleton, Su b -Li e u t ., r n r *Returned on Morning Reginald William Skelton, En g i n e e r Li e u t ., r n , Ch i e f En g i n e e r Louis Charles Bernacchi, Ph y s i c i s t Joined at the Lyttelton Hartley Travis Ferrar, Ge o l o g i s t Thomas Vere Hodgson, Ma r i n e Bi o l o g i s t Reginald Koettlitz, Su r g e o n a n d Bo t a n i s t Edward Adrian Wilson, Surgeon, Zo o l o g i s t a n d Ar t i s t

Wa r r a n t -Of f i c e r s , r n ‡ Se a m e n Frederick E. Dailey, Ca r p e n t e r Charles T. Bonner, r n James H. Dellbridge, Se c o n d En g i n e e r Joined at Cape Town. Died 21 December 1901 Thomas Alfred Feather, Ac t i n g Bo a t s w a i n Henry R. Brett, m n Co o k * Returned on Morning Charles Reginald Ford, Sh i p ’s St e w a r d Thomas Crean, r n Joined at Port Chalmers George Beaver Croucher, r n Joined at Cowes James William Dell, r n James Duncan, m n Sh i p w r i g h t * Pe t t y Of f i c e r s , r n Returned on Morning David Silver Allan Jesse Handsley, r n Joined at Port Chalmers Jacob Cross William Lofthouse Heald, r n Edgar Evans Ernest Edward Mills Joyce, r n Joined at Cape Town Thomas Kennar William Peters, r n * Returned on Morning William MacFarlane* Returned on Morning Arthur Pilbeam, r n William Smythe George Thomas Vince, r n Died 11 March 1902 John D. Walker, m n * Returned on Morning William Isaac Weller, m n Do g Ha n d l e r Joined at the Lyttelton Ma r i n e s John F. Frank Wild, r n Arthur Henry Blissett, L/Cp l ., r m l i Thomas Soulsby Williamson, r n Gilbert Scott, Pr i v a t e , r m l i

St o k e r s William Hubert, m n Do n k e y m a n * Returned on Morning Ci v i l i a n s William Lashly, r n Horace C. Buckridge, La b o r a t o r y At t e n d a n t * Joined at Cape Town. Returned on Morning William Page, r n * Returned on Morning Charles Clarke, Co o k Frank Plumley, r n Joined at Cape Town Clarence H. Hare, As s i s t a n t St e w a r d * Arthur Lester Quartley, r n Joined at Lyttelton. Returned on Morning Thomas Whitfield,r n

This list—taken from that given by Scott and amended from Erskine’s article in the Naval Review—includes not only those who sailed from Cowes, but those who joined or left the Expedition later. The abbreviation m n indicates Merchant Navy; r m l i , Royal Marine Light Infantry. *Wintered for one season only. ‡Erskine tells us that these were given acting rank in 1901 for the expedition only, but Dailey and Feather attained WO rank during it. Source: Savours, The Voyages of the Discovery, pp. 26-27. Additional information from Yelverton, Antarctica Unveiled, and other sources. Others not included (from Yelverton) who deserted, were discharged, invalided, etc.: Miller, Dowsett, Roper, Waterman, Mardon and Masterton.

6 Top Right: Plumley. Back Row: Blissett, Allan, Wild,Croucher, Kennar, Handsley, Lashly, Crean, Dell, Evans, Clarke, Weller. Middle Row: Pilbeam, Joyce, Williamson, Heald, Cross, Smythe, Scott. Front Row: Ford, Feather, Armitage, Mulock, Shackleton, Wilson, Skelton, Scott, Royds, Koettlitz, Bernacchi, Ferrar, Hodgson, Dellbridge, Dailey. Not shown: Barne, Bonner, Brett, Buckridge, Duncan, Hare, Hubert, McFarlane, Page, Peters, Quartley, Vince, Walker and Whitfield.

The Antarctic Veterans (Before and After Discovery)

El e v e n m e n of the Discovery were or were to be Antarctic veterans. The only one to have been there before was Louis Bernacchi who was on the Southern Cross expedition (1898-1900). Tom Crean, Edgar Evans, William Heald, William Lashly, Robert Scott, Thomas Williamson and Edward Wilson returned on the Terra Nova expedition. Shackleton and Wild were on the Nimrod, Endurance and Quest expeditions—Wild was also on Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition—and Ernest Joyce was a member of Shackleton’s Ross Sea Party. Most of the biographical details below are drawn from [Wilson’s] Diary of the ‘Discovery’ Expedition, edited by Ann Savours.

Lo u i s Ch a r l e s Be r n a cc h i . Physicist and the Discovery in New Zealand. The physical Magnetic Observer and magnetic observations made during the Born 1876 in Tasmania. Spent two years 1901-04 expedition were published by the at Melbourne Observatory. Magnetic and Royal Society in 1908 and 1909 respectively, meteorological observer during the Southern as part of the scientific results. He travelled Cross expedition, 1898-1900. Author of papers widely on his return from the Antarctic and on the meteorological wrote a number of papers in the Geographical and magnetic work Journal and elsewhere. He served in the Royal of the expedition and Naval Volunteer Reserve during the First World on the topography War. In 1925 he planned to lead an Antarctic of South Victoria expedition, which never materialised, and in Land, published in the 1930 he organised the British Polar Exhibition Geographical Journal; and helped to organise the Second International also of a narrative of the Polar Year 1931-32. He published a life of expedition entitled To L.E.G. Oates in 1933 under the title A Very the South Polar Regions Gallant Gentleman, and the Saga of the Discovery (London, 1901). Joined in 1938. He returned to the r.n.v.r. at the

7 outbreak of the Second World War, but his expedition from h.m.s. Duke of Wellington. health began to fail and he died in London on Instructed in balloon work at Aldershot. Chief 24 April 1942. Stoker, r n , during Terra Nova expedition, 1910- 13. His diary of the Terra Nova expedition was Th o m a s Cr e a n . Able Seaman, r n published in a limited edition by the University Born 20 July 1877 near Anascaul, Ireland. of Reading, 1938-39. Served for some years as Joined the expedition from h.m.s. Ringarooma a Customs Officer at the Cardiff docks. Died on at Port Chalmers, New Zealand. Petty Officer, 12 June 1940 at Hambledon. His house there r n during the Terra Nova expedition, 1910- was named “Minna Bluff.” Admiral Evans said 13. Second Officer aboard Endurance during of him: “I owe my life to Lashly’s devotion and the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition, 1914- his admirable duty-sense.” Cherry-Garrard noted 16. Member of James Caird boat-party from in the Polar Record: “Lashly looked nothing Elephant Island to South Georgia. Died on 27 out of the way till he stripped. He stripped big July 1938. Frank Debenham wrote of him in and looked small: was tough as nails rather than the Polar Record: “Tom Crean was in his way, muscular; and neither drank nor smoked.” unique; he was like something out of Kipling or Masefield, typical of his country and a credit to Rob e r t Fa l co n Sco t t . Commander, r n all his three expeditions.” Born 6 June 1868 at Devonport. Entered the Royal Navy in 1886. In the Rover (Training Ed g a r Ev a n s . Petty Officer, r n Squadron) 1887-88. With Captain Hulton in Born 1876 at Middleton, Wales. Joined the the Amphion 1889 expedition from h.m.s. Majestic. Nicknamed and navigator in the “Taff”. Accompanied Scott on the 1,100 mile Sharpshooter. Torpedo polar plateau sledge journey in 1903. Returned Lieutenant, serving to the Antarctic on the Terra Nova expedition, under Captains Hall, 1910-13. Died on 17 February 1912 during Durnford, Robinson return from South Pole. Described by Scott and Jackson. Spent four in his journal as “a giant worker with a really years in sailing ships. remarkable head-piece.” Torpedo Lieutenant of the Majestic, 1898-99, Wi l l i a m L. He a l d . Able Seaman, r n under Captain Egerton. Born at York. Followed a course of instruction Took a special course in ballooning at Aldershot before sailing in in surveying, 1898-99, Discovery. Saved Ferrar’s life in 1902 when the and in magnetic observation 1900. Commander, latter was dying of scurvy out on the trail. Petty 1900; Captain, 1904. On the return of the Officer, r n , during Terra Nova expedition, 1910- Discovery expedition he was made a gold 13. medallist of the Royal Geographical Society and similarly honoured by other learned societies and Er n e s t Ed w a r d Mi l l s Jo y c e . Able Seaman, r n institutions. Wrote The Voyage of the “Discovery”, Born 1875. Joined the expedition from h.m.s. published 1905. Led the Terra Nova expedition, Gibraltar at Cape Town. Left Royal Navy (Petty 1910-13, and died on the return journey from Officer) by purchase to join Shackleton’s Nimrod the South Pole, March 1912. His diaries were expedition, 1907-09. He was a member of the published posthumously, 1913, as Scott’s Last Ross Sea Party during the Endurance expedition. Expedition. In 1900 chose dogs in Copenhagen for Mawson’s Aurora expedition, 1914-17. He died Er n e s t H. on 2 May 1940. Shackleton wrote of him: “If Sh a c k l e t o n . Third there is one man I can trust to lay the depots it Lieutenant, r n r is your good self . . . that was proved at a critical Born 15 February 1874 time in 1908 when I returned from the long trek at Kilkea, Co. Clare. south.” Nicknamed “Shackle”. Entered the Merchant Wi l l i a m La s h l y . Stoker, r n Service in 1890, served Born at Hambledon, Hampshire. Joined the in sailing ships in the

8 Pacific, afterwards with the Union Castle Line. course at St. George’s During the expedition he was in charge of sea Hospital. During the water analysis and was also editor of The South Discovery expedition Polar Times. Invalided after the first year in the he was described as Antarctic, returning to England in the relief ship the life and soul of the Morning. He subsequently organised and led party—the organizer of three expeditions to the Antarctic in 1907-09 all amusements, always (Nimrod), 1914-17 (Endurance) and 1921-22 good tempered and (Quest). During the last, on 5 January 1922, cheerful, the ingenious he died and was buried at Grytviken, South person who could get Georgia. He wrote The Heart of the Antarctic round all difficulties, and (1909) and South (1919). Knighted in 1909. as knowing no fear. He was appointed Chief of the Scientific Staff on Fr a n k Wi l d. Able Seaman, r n the Terra Nova expedition. To its work, both Born 1874 at Skelton, Yorkshire. Joined the general and scientific, he contributed with his expedition from h.m.s. Vernon. Member of wonted industry and keenness, and his mid- Nimrod expedition, 1907-09, accompanying winter expedition to the penguin rookery at Shackleton on farthest south party. Leader of Cape Crozier was a feat of endurance hardly to Queen Mary Land wintering station during be matched in Polar travel. Died with Scott and Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic expedition, Bowers on return from the Pole in March, 1912. 1911-14. Second in command during Of a modest and retiring disposition, Wilson Endurance expedition, 1914-16. Led expedition was perhaps really known to but a few intimate to Spitsbergen, 1918-19, when Shackleton friends. All who did know him are unanimous recalled. To Nyasaland as farmer 1920. Second in their testimony on the one hand to his deeply in command of Quest expedition, 1921-22, religious character, his strong sense of duty, his succeeding to command on Shackleton’s ascetic purity; and on the other, to his kindliness, death, 1922. To Swaziland 1922, thence to his keen sense of humour, his enthusiasm and Johannesburg, where he died in 1939. joyousness, qualities of the utmost value in an undertaking like a Polar expedition. ❧ Th o m a s S. Wi l l i a m s o n. Able Seaman, r n Born 1877 in Sunderland. Joined the expedition from h.m.s. Pactolus. Petty Officer, r n during Terra Nova expedition, 1910-13. A member of the search party that found Scott, Wilson and Bowers. Died in January 1940. Scott wrote of him: “A well built, tall, strong Previously unpublished photograph man, and an excellent of Williamson and his children (?) working hand.” aboard the Terra Nova.

Ed w a r d Ad r i a n Wi l s o n. Surgeon, Zoologist and Artist Born on 23 July 1872 in Cheltenham. After passing through Cheltenham College he went up to Caius College, Cambridge. Rowing was his favourite recreation. His bent lay chiefly towards the career of a field naturalist, but the need of taking up some definite calling led him to turn to medicine, and he went through the usual

9 some other men of the Discovery

Fo r m o s t o f the Ship’s Company the expedition was to be their only Antarctic venture although some had been to the Arctic or would later go there. Included below are some of those whose silhouette studies—the work of Edward Wilson—appeared in The South Polar Times. Most of the biographical details are from [Wilson’s] Diary of the ‘Discovery’ Expedition, edited by Ann Savours.

Al b e r t B. Ar m i t a g e . Navigator and Second in career, serving with distinction in the Dardanelles Command, Lieut. r n r and Dover Patrol during the First World War and Born 1864 in the Braes of Balquhidder, Perthshire. on anti-submarine patrol and “small boats” for Nicknamed “the Pilot”. Worcester cadet 1878. part of the Second. When commander of h.m.s. Chief Officer of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Majestic in 1914 he received the Royal Humane Navigation Company. Second-in-Command of Society’s Silver Medal for diving overboard in an the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition, 1894-97, attempt to rescue a sailor during an Atlantic gale. to Franz-Josef Land, when he took charge of the He retired with the rank of Captain in 1919. Died magnetic, meteorological and astronomical work, in May 1961. Scott said of him, “I had thought and gained experience of ice of him, as he proved to be, especially fitted for a navigation and sledge travel. voyage where there were elements of danger and Received the Murchison Award difficulty.” of the Royal Geographical Society in 1898. During the Ha r t l e y T. Fe r r a r . Geologist Discovery expedition he was Born 1879 at Dalkey, Ireland. Educated at Oundle Second-in-Command and School and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, Navigator. His narrative of taking the Natural Science Tripos shortly before the expedition was published the expedition sailed. In charge of geology and also in 1905, entitled Two Years in of sea water analysis (after the Antarctic. It was illustrated with pen drawings Shackleton). His report on by Edward Wilson. He became Captain, P. and field geology was published O. in 1907; Commodore, P. and O. in 1923, and in 1907 as part of Vo l . I retired in 1926. He was at sea throughout the First (Geology) of the expedition’s World War, carrying mails, troops and food and he scientific results. In 1905 he was torpedoed in 1917. His autobiography From joined the geological section Cadet to Commodore appeared in 1925. Died 31 of the Survey Department in October 1943. In his obituary of Armitage, Frank Egypt, and remained there Debenham wrote: “There is a toast which . . . until 1913 when he went to ought to be drunk whenever the great deeds of an New Zealand as a master at expedition and its leader are being honoured, and Christchurch College. During the First World War that is ‘To the Second in Command’.” he served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force mainly in Palestine. In 1919 he joined the M i c h a e l Ba r n e . Second Lieutenant, r n New Zealand Geological Survey and worked in Born 1877 at Beccles, Suffolk. Joined h.m.s. New Zealand until his death in April 1932. Britannia, 1891. Served in h.m.s. Majestic and on China Station. Nicknamed Th o m a s V. Ho d g s o n . Biologist “Mik.” Trained for the Born 1864 in Birmingham. Discovery expedition at the Nicknamed “Muggins”. Of Ben Nevis Observatory, winter necessity had pursued a business 1900, where he took a course career until able to devote on magnetism. Assistant himself to marine biology at magnetic observer during the Marine Biological Station, the expedition and in charge Plymouth. Curator of the of the sounding apparatus. In Plymouth Museum. He was 1904 he resumed his Naval concerned on the return of

10 the Discovery expedition with the publication of its Commander de Robeck; then in the Crescent flag- scientific results, particularly with those relating to ship, West Indies. Nicknamed “Frosty”. Trained in marine invertebrates. He had previously worked on meteorology at the Ben Nevis Observatory, winter the Southern Cross collections and later on those of 1900. In charge, during the expedition, of the me- the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 1902- teorological work. Also supervised, as first lieuten- 04. He was re-appointed Curator of the Plymouth ant, the work of the men and Museum on his return from the Antarctic, but the internal economy of the suffered from ill-health until his death in May ship. The expedition’s meteo- 1926. rological observations, subse- quently corrected, reduced and Re g i n a l d Ko e t t l i t z . Surgeon and Botanist published by the Royal Society Born 1861 at Ostend, the oldest member of the as part of the scientific results, expedition. Trained at Guy’s were a valuable contribution to Hospital, London. In country Antarctic meteorology. Royds practice for seven years. later became a Director of Surgeon during Jackson- Physical Training and Sports in the Royal Navy Harmsworth Expedition to and Commodore of the Royal Navy Barracks at Franz-Josef Land, 1894-97. Devonport and a Rear-Admiral in 1926, when he Afterwards accompanied retired from the Navy to become Deputy Commis- expeditions to Abyssinia, sioner of Metropolitan Police, a post which he held Somaliland and Brazil. until his death in 1931 from a sudden heart attack Bacteriologist. On the return at the Savoy Hotel during the rehearsal of a ball for of the Discovery expedition a well-known charity. Knighted 1929. Promoted he practised in South Africa, where he died of Vice-Admiral, retired, in 1930. During the Discovery dysentery at Port Elizabeth, in 1916. expedition Dr. Koettlitz removed a cyst on Royds’ cheek, said to be the first Antarctic surgical opera- Ge o r g e F. A. Mu l oc k . Third Lieutenant and tion. Said Wilson: “Charles is one of the tidiest and Surveyor, r n most methodical men in the ship.” Born February 1882. Joined h.m.s. Britannia 1895. Served in h.m.s. Victorious in China and in h.m.s Magnificent in the Channel Squadron. Re- Re g i n a l d W. Sk e l t o n . Chief Engineer, r n lieved Shackleton during the expedition. Surveyor Born 1872 at Long Sutton, Lincolnshire. Nicknamed and cartographer, having “Skellie”. Joined Royal Navy 1887. Served in h.m.s. received survey instruction in Centurion in China, 1894-7, and in h.m.s. Majestic, h.m.s Triton. On the return Channel Squadron, 1899-1900. Supervised the of the expedition, he was construction of the Discovery at Dundee. Also lent by the Admiralty to the acted as photographer, in charge of dark room Royal Geographical Society and negatives, during the expedition. He married to complete the compilation a New Zealand lady soon after his return from of the survey. His results were Antarctica. He served in the Submarine Service published by the Society in from 1906-12, and from 1917-18. In the interval 1908 as The Charts of the Dis- he served in h.m.s. Superb covery Expedition. During the and in h.m.s. Agincourt and First World War, he served with distinction in the took part in The Battle of Gallipoli campaign. In 1920 he retired from the Jutland, 31 May 1916. He Navy and joined the Asiatic Petroleum Company as continued in the Royal Navy Marine Superintendent at Shanghai. He later saw after the War, being posted to service during the Second World War, for part of Archangel, Constantinople, which he was a prisoner in Japanese hands. Died to the Mediterranean Station in Gibraltar on 26 December 1963. and to the Atlantic Station. He became Engineer Rear- Ch a r l e s W. Ra w s o n Ro y d s . First Lieutenant, r n Admiral in 1923, Engineer Born 1876. Conway cadet. In the Champion Vice-Admiral in 1928 and Engineer-in-Chief of the (Training Squadron) under Captain Cross; then Fleet, 1928-32. He retired in 1932 and died on 5 in the destroyer squadron at the Nore under September 1956. ❧

11 the discovery’s specifications Quoted by Ann Savours in The Voyages of the Discovery, pp. 16-17

On 29 No v e m b e r 1899, Admiral McClintock, Chairman of the Ship Committee, described the future Discovery as follows. This summary of her design is so concise and was so little modified in practice that it is quoted here in full: The Ship will be 172 feet long, 33 feet extreme mainmast, and no iron work will be permitted beam and will be 1570 tons displacement. She within 30 feet of it. [It was in fact fitted on will be built of oak and elm, with an ice casing the upper deck.] For biological work there of green heart. Though somewhat larger, her will be two houses, properly fitted on deck, general lines will be similar to those of Discovery. and a laboratory 10 ft. by 7 ft. forward on Her bows will be sharp and overhanging, like the lower deck. There will be an auxiliary Discovery, and they will be special strengthened engine, and special arrangements for sounding for forcing her way through the ice. The to a depth of 4,000 fathoms, and also for thickness of her sides amidships at the water line, dredging up operations. All other details have will be 25 inches. The stern and counters will be been carefully designed for ice navigation, for so shaped as to afford protection to the screw promoting warmth and dryness below, and for and rudder, both of which will be fitted so as to facilitating scientific investigations. The cabin be raised quickly out of the water. accommodation includes a sitting and sleeping The consumption of coal is approximately, as cabin for the captain, one for the navigator follows: with places in it for the chronometers and with facilities for drawings &c. The other cabins for Speed (in knots) 6 7 8 the other executive officers, and one for the Tons per diem 4 1/2 6 1/2 9 engineer, and three for scientific civilians, of Distance for 240 7,700 6,200 5,100 whom one, or more, ought to be surgeons, one tons (of coal) to be in medical charge of the ship. Extra cabin space can be found for two or more scientific This does not include the amount of coal civilians, but only by encroaching on the space that will be required for warming, dredging now set apart for the health and comfort of the and sounding purposes. It is possible however, crew. that some 20 or 30 tons of coal can be stowed elsewhere in the ship, either on the upper The Ship Sub-Committee are much deck, or in unoccupied spaces below. The full indebted to Mr. W. E. Smith for the skill and power speed of the ship will be about 8 knots, ability he has devoted to the design and details somewhat in excess of the speed of [the old] of the ship, and also to Mr. Marrack for his work Discovery. In order to fall in with magnetic connected with the engines and boilers, and the requirements, the engine and boilers will be protection of the propeller. They congratulate situated aft. The horse power will be 450, and themselves on the fact that the plans and designs the ship will stow, in bunkers, 240 tons of coal. approved are those of a vessel which will be, by She will be fitted with masts and sails, and far, the best adapted for severe weather and ice barque rigged, so that fuel can be economised navigation, as well as for scientific investigations, while making a voyage, and advantage can be that has ever entered the polar regions. taken of favourable winds, even when navigating They are of opinion that the total in the pack. The Magnetic Observatory, 8 feet complement of this vessel should not exceed 48 by 6 ft. 6 in. will be on the bridge before the to 50 souls. ❧

12 scott on the discovery From The Voyage of the “Discovery”, Vo l I, pp. 48-54

Th e a r t o f b u i l d i n g wooden ships is now almost lost to the United Kingdom; probably in twenty or thirty years’ time a new ‘Discovery’ will give more trouble and cost more money than a moderate-sized war-ship. This is natural enough: it is the day of steel, of the puncher and the riveter; the adze and the wood-plane are passing away. It must become increasingly difficult to find the contractors who will undertake to build a wooden ship, or the seasoned wood and the skilled workmen necessary for its construction. The technicalities of the business may still in the meanwhile the Committee’s architect, remain in the memories of the older constructors, Mr. W. E. Smith, had thoroughly overhauled but have grown vague from disuse, and very few the plans of the old ‘Discovery’ and drawn up a persons have cause to refresh their memories. And masterly specification for the new one. In March so it is all passing away; even the quaint old Scotch 1900 the keel of the new vessel was laid, and in foreman, John Smith, who played so important a few months the massive oak frames had been a part in the building of the ‘Discovery,’ has raised and the busy scene of construction was in finished his work and vanished from the scene. It full swing. is a strange ending to an industry which a century I have spoken of this new ship as the ago produced those stout wooden walls that were ‘Discovery,’ but it was not until June that her the main defence of the kingdom. name was selected. Many names came up for In October 1899, when tenders for the discussion, and not a few of these had already new ship were invited, there were few replies, done service in the older English expeditions. and only one from a firm which had recent It was generally considered that the most experience of such a task. This was the Dundee appropriate plan was to revive some old time- Shipbuilding Company, the owners of a small honoured title, and as it was seen that few names yard on the Tay, which had been better known carried a greater record than ‘Discovery,’ that in the flourishing days of the whale trade as name was chosen. . . . Stevens’s Yard. Stevens had been a very well- By consulting the profile drawing of the known character in Dundee, the builder and ship, the reader will get some idea of the internal owner of many a fine whaling ship. arrangements, but he will scarcely realise the Arrangements were therefore entered into extraordinary solidity of the structure. Most with this Company to build the new vessel, and people who have voyaged in modern ships know

13 that between them and the sea there has only portion of the vessel a strength which almost interposed a steel plate the fraction of an inch amounted to solidity. It will be seen, too, how in thickness; they may, therefore, be interested the keel at the fore-end of the ship gradually to know what the side of the ‘Discovery’ was grew thicker till it rose in the enormous mass like. The frames, which were placed very close of solid wood which constituted the stem. No together, were eleven inches thick and of solid single tree could provide the wood for such a English oak; inside the frames came the inner stem, but the several that were employed were lining, a solid planking four inches thick; whilst cunningly scarfed to provide the equivalent of the outside was covered with two layers of a solid block; and, in addition to the strong planking, respectively six and five inches thick, fastenings which held piece to piece, long so that, in most places, to bore a hole in the strengthening bolts were used which ran fore side one would have a to get through twenty-six and aft and securely held all together. Some of inches of solid wood. these bolts, running entirely through wood, were It will give some idea of the complexity as much as 8 1/2 feet in length. of the construction of such a ship to name the The bow of the ‘Discovery’ was, therefore, various woods that were employed in the side, a part which ran little risk of damage, and for in each place the most suitable was chosen. a knowledge of its strength was a pleasing The inner lining was of Riga fir, the frames of possession when we came to ramming the ice- English oak, the inner skin, according to its floes. In further preparation for such service the position, of pitch pine, Honduras mahogany, stem itself and the bow for three or four feet on or oak, whilst the outer skin in the same way either side were protected with numerous steel was of English elm or greenheart. The massive plates, so that when we got back to civilisation side structure was stiffened and strengthened by not a scratch remained to show the many hard three tiers of beams running from side to side, knocks which the bow had received. and at intervals with stout transverse wooden The shape of the stem was a very important bulkheads; the beams in the lower tiers were consideration. It will be seen how largely it especially solid, being eleven inches by eleven overhangs, and this was carried to a greater inches in section, and they were placed at extent than in any former Polar ship. The object intervals of something less than three feet. with which this was fitted was often very prettily All this went to give the ship a frame capable fulfilled during our voyage. Many a time on of resisting immense side strains, but, strong charging a large ice-floe the stem of the ship as she was in this respect, the rigid stiffness of glided upwards until the bows were raised two the sides was as nothing to that of the bows. or three feet, then the weight of the ship acting Some idea of the fortification of this part can downwards would crack the floe beneath, the be gathered from the drawing, which shows bow would drop, and the ship would gradually the numerous and closely placed girders and forge ahead to meet the next obstruction. This struts that went to support the forefoot. Such is the principle on which the ice is broken by all a network of solid oak stiffeners gave to this modern ice-breakers; and here, perhaps, I may

14 be allowed to interpolate a remark. I have often been asked why the now well-known ice-breakers are not employed for such expeditions as ours. It is because the ice-breaker is built of steel, and, except when breaking very thin ice, is in constant need of repair; nothing but a wooden structure has the elasticity and strength to grapple with thick Polar ice without injury.

The ‘Discovery’s’ greatest strength lay further aft there was a distinct weakening, in her bows, as I have just shown; next to for although the sides remained equally this, and as far aft as the mainmast, the thick, the position of the engines and boilers structure, supported by numerous beams and necessitated the omission of many of the bulkheads, still remained very strong; but crossbeams. ❧

15 A Discovery Chronology

Na t i o n a l An t a r c t i c Ex p e d i t i o n 1901-04. 9 February – Found Winter Quarters, Ross Island, Le a d e r : Co m m a n d e r R. F. Sco t t , r n McMurdo Sound. Hut erected. Ship made ready for wintering. 1900 23 June – Midwinter celebrations. March – Keel laid on 2 September – First spring sledge journey the Tay at the old (Scott). Stephen’s (Panmure) October – Record deposited by Royds and party S h i p y a r d b y t h e at Cape Crozier. Skelton discovered Emperor Dundee Shipbuilders penguin rookery. Company. 2 November – Scott, Shackleton and Wilson left on southern journey. 1901 November – Royds and party re-visited Emperor 21 March – Launched into penguin rookery at Cape Crozier. Egg the waters of the Tay, found. christened by Lady 29 November – Armitage and party left on Western Markham. Journey. Ascended Ferrar Glacier to reach 5 August – At Cowes plateau of Victoria Land. Harbour during Cowes Week. Visited by King 30 December – Southern party reached farthest Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. south latitude 82°16’S. 6 August – Sailed from Cowes via South Trinidad for the Cape, arriving 3 October. 1903 24 December – Left Lyttelton, New Zealand, for 19 January – Western party returned. the Antarctic. 24 January – Relief ship Morning (Captain William Colbeck) arrived McMurdo Sound. 3 February – Southern party returned. 2 March – Morning departed. April-August – Second wintering. September – Wilson visited Cape Crozier (Emperor penguin rookery). 12 October-1 January 1904 – Scott’s western sledge journey to inland plateau. Other spring sledging journeys.

1904 5 January – Relief ships Morning (Captain Colbeck) and Terra Nova (Captain H. MacKay) entered McMurdo Sound. 14 February – Reached Discovery. 16 February – Discovery at last freed from ice. 17 February – Left Winter Quarters. Blown ashore at Hut Point; aground 8 hours. 2 March – Sighted Balleny Islands. Sailed over part 1902 of ‘Wilkes Land’. 3 January – Crossed Antarctic Circle. 5 March – Re-crossed Antarctic Circle. 4 January – Entered the pack-ice of the Ross Sea. 2 April – Discovery, Terra Nova, Morning reached 8 January – Out into the open sea. First sight of Lyttelton, New Zealand. Antarctica. 8 June – Discovery departed Lyttelton. 30 January – Sailed along Ross Ice Front and 9 September – Arrived in the Channel. discovered Edward VII Land. 10 September – Arrived Portsmouth.

16 15 September – Berthed East India Dock, 1923 London. Bought by the Crown Agents for the Colonies November – Exhibition of watercolours and for the purpose of ‘scientific research in the photographs at Bruton Galleries, London. South Seas’. 1925-27 Th e Di s c o v e r y (Oc e a n o g r a p h i c ) Ex p e d i t i o n

1929-31 Br i t i s h , Au s t r a l i a n a n d Ne w Ze a l a n d An t a r c t i c Re s e a r c h Ex p e d i t i o n (b a n z a r e ) Le a d e r : Si r Do u g l a s Ma w s o n

1931-36 Laid up in London (East India Dock)

7 November – Captain Scott gave lecture on the 1936-37 expedition at the Royal Albert Hall. Discovery used by the Sea Scouts as a training ship and as a hostel for Scouts visiting London. It 1905 was moored alongside Thames Embankment January – Bought by the Hudson’s Bay Company. in King’s Reach. Adapted as a merchant vessel. Numerous voyages to and from Hudson Bay until… 1939-45 Special Admiralty courses were run on board the 1912-15 Discovery for men about to enter the Royal Laid up in London. Navy. She was also headquarters of the River Emergency Service.

1915-20 1946-55 Numerous voyages calling at Halifax, New York, Used again by the Sea Scouts under ownership of Falmouth, Swansea, Nantes, Bordeaux, Boy Scouts. Brest, Archangel, Dundee, Le Havre, Plymouth, Cardiff, Bristol, Lorient, Boulogne, 1955-79 Plymouth. Transferred to the Admiralty for use by the Royal Navy Reserve and the Royal Naval Auxiliary Refitted at Devonport and sent south to rescue Service as an additional drill ship, but also used Shackleton’s party marooned on Elephant by Sea Scouts. Island. Departed Plymouth 31 July 1916. Arrived back at Plymouth 29 November 1979 1916. Handed over to Maritime Trust. Restoration Numerous voyages calling at Lorient, Pauillac, Bayonne, Rochefort, Nantes, Brent, Rochefort, St-Nazaire, Bordeaux, Brest, Barry, Funchal, Bilbao, Cardiff, Montreal, Charlton Island, St John’s, Halifax, Liverpool, Antwerp, London, King’s Lynn, Hull, Rotterdam, Dunkirk, Le Havre, Constantinople, Novorossysk, Taganrog roads, Piraeus, Malta.

1922 Hudson’s Bay Company granted ship as temporary The Discovery returns to her port of birth. headquarters to 16th Stepney Sea Scout begins. ______Troop. Adpated from Ann Savours, The Voyages of the Discovery, pp. 311-19.

17 Excerpts from THE “DISCOVERY,” PAST & PRESENT From The South Polar Times, Vo l II

Ha d t h e s o l e aim in selecting a name for the vessel of the National Antarctic Expedition been to choose one that would remind those who sailed in her of the glorious deed that had been achieved in the field of exploration, more especially that of polar exploration, by the intrepid seamen of old, it would have been difficult to have found a more appropriate one than ‘Discovery’. The voyages of the several ‘Discoverys’ have made their mark on the charts of the world for all time.

If for no other reason than the fact that as Labrador, wintered in a harbour there and she was the vessel in which the brave Henry returned the following year having accomplished Hudson made his last and fatal voyage, the first nothing. ‘Discovery’ would have been famous, but happily We now come to a brighter page in the she has a brighter claim to memory than that history of ‘Discovery’ I. She not becomes dark incident. . . . associated with William Baffin, the greatest We first find the ‘Discovery’ mentioned navigator of his time. We are indebted to him as being the ship employed by the East India for the accounts of the two last voyages of Company for a voyage in search of the North- ‘Discovery’ I., still in quest of a North-west west passage in 1602, under the command of passage. Apart from the interest they have for Captain Waymouth. Unfortunately a mutiny us as accounts of the voyages of the ‘Discovery’, brought this voyage to a speedy close. they are very interesting reading. . . . The next time she sailed it was for another Thus ‘Discovery’ I. is associated with two of attempt to discover a North-west passage eight the greatest navigators the world has ever seen, years later, commanded by Henry Hudson. and the maps will bear witness to her voyages to After encountering many dangers, the great posterity. It is also worth remembering that, as bay was discovered which now bears Hudson’s Hudson and Baffin were the first two Captains name. A harbour was found at the south-eastern to observe for the dip of the magnetic needle, end of the bay where the ‘Discovery’ wintered. so the ‘Discovery’ must have been one of the There was some trouble with the crew during first ships in which that important work was the winter, and three days after leaving winter carried out. Baffin says of her last voyage:– “I quarters the crew mutinied, and Hudson, his dare boldly say (without boasting) that more young son, and a few who remained faithful good discoueries hath not in shorter time (to my to him were turned adrift in an open boat and remembrance) beene done since the action was were never after heard of. It is a sad tale and the attempted, considering how much ice we have particulars are too well known to bear repeating passed, and the difficulties of sayling so neere the here. Suffice it to say that the ship was brought pole (upon a trauverse)”. . . . home to England by five of the survivors of the A century later (1719) another ‘Discovery’ crew after suffering well deserved hardships. (II.) went on an exploring voyage to Hudson’s The ‘Discovery’ again left England in Bay. 1612 as second ship in Sir Thomas Button’s In 1776 the Admiralty fitted out two ships expedition; her captain was Ingram. The for an expedition of discovery—the ‘Resolution’ expedition was the first to reach the western and the ‘Discovery’. The command of the side of Hudson’s Bay. Here they wintered. They Expedition was given to Captain Cook who had reached 65°N. the following summer when they ‘Resolution’ for his ship, and Captain Clerke was commenced their return voyage, discovering appointed 2nd. in command and Captain of the Mansel’s Island on their way home. ‘Discovery’. The life and work of Captain Cook The ‘Discovery’ was sent out again the is well known and needs no recapitulation here, following year (1614) under command of a but that of Captain Clerke is not so familiar to Captain Gibbon or Gibbins, who got as far us. . . . He had served twice with Captain Cook

18 previous to his appointment to the ‘Discovery’. surveyed, and the known coast of Greenland . . . In July 1778 they reached their farthest extended some miles. Magnetic, Meteorological, north for that year and sighted and named Icy and other observations were taken, and our Cape, where the ships were in some danger. . . . knowledge of the biology of the Arctic Regions They returned south, discovered Hawaii, and in increased. As both ships’ companies were all the following February (1799 [sic]) Cook was more or less affected with scurvy, Capt. Nares killed and Clerke succeeded to the command of deemed it advisable to return to England, and the expedition. . . . The Expedition returned to the ‘Alert’ and ‘Discovery’ arrived at Portsmouth England in October 1780. . . . November 2nd, 1876. The next ‘Discovery’ (IV.) was Captain The present ‘Discovery’ is a steam vessel Vancouver’s ship in the expedition under his of 450 tons, barque rigged. Her keel was laid command 1791 to 1795. Amongst other work at Dundee on March 7th, 1900, and she was Captain Vancouver surveyed and proved the launched by Lady Markham on March 21st the insularity of the island now bearing his name. In following year. On Monday June 3rd, 1901 she 1792 the expedition was in Australian and New left Dundee for London in charge of Captain Zealand waters, and Vancouver had a share in the Scott. After provisioning etc. in London she early charting of the Australian sea-board. went to Cowes, where, on August 5th, His In 1875 the Government decided to fit out Majesty The King (Patron to the Expedition) an expedition for an attempt came on board to inspect to reach the North Pole. the ship, accompanied by Two ships were selected for the Queen Consort. The this purpose – H.M. Ships next day the ‘Discovery’ ‘Alert’ and ‘Discovery’. weighed anchor and Captain Nares (now Admiral left England’s shores Sir George Nares) was on her long voyage to appointed to the former the Antipodes, and Sir vessel and command of the Clements Markham saw Expedition, and Captain the Expedition for which Stephenson (now Admiral he had worked unceasingly Sir Hy. Stephenson) to the for many years, fairly under ‘Discovery’. . . . way. The realization of his plans must have been The Expedition did not succeed in its very gratifying to him. primary object (to reach the North Pole), owing From the foregoing it is seen that to ice condition and bad health. The Northern ‘Discovery’ VI. Has succeeded to a heritage of sledge party under the present Admiral A.H. fame. What memories her name evokes! Hudson, Markham who made the attempt in the summer Baffin, Cook, Vancouver, Nares, all have added of 1876, having to travel over a frozen sea the lustre of their name to the ‘Discovery’. which necessitated carrying boats in the event Under these able navigators the voyages of five of a break-up of the ice, had exceedingly heavy previous ships of the name have added to our loads. This entailed relay work from the very knowledge of the geography of our globe. So commencement of the journey. For the 73 miles it is with ‘Discovery’ VI. From her deck new made good northwards they travelled no less land has been sighted, and by the sledge parties than 276 miles. The surface, as is generally the sent out from her, new land has been seen and case with a frozen sea, was extremely bad. Added charted and the coast line of Victoria Land to these difficulties scurvy broke out. During the extended considerably. The physical sciences return journey one man died from this disease, too, will benefit by her first voyage. She exhibits and the remainder of the party were all affected – also what a stride has been made in scientific five being carried by their companions who were research since the first ‘Discovery’ sailed on in but little better condition themselves. That her hazardous voyage. There is no space, nor they reached Latitude 83°.20’N. under these is this the occasion to dwell on this, but one circumstances, is a tribute to their indomitable cannot help thinking – what would be Baffin’s courage and perseverance. But apart from this, feelings, were he suddenly brought on board very valuable work was done by the Expedition. the ‘Discovery’? It is easy to imagine with what The coast of Grinnel Land was carefully delight and amazement he would view, for

19 instance, the instruments for observing and in this ship. She has for some years been a store recording Magnetic phenomena; the same work ship journeying backwards and forwards between which he, one of the earliest pioneers of the the Naval Dockyards, but was, just then, put on science, carried out so conscientiously and well the Admiralty List of Ships for Sale. with the imperfect instruments at his disposal on What will become of ‘Discovery’ VI.? It is board ‘Discovery’ I. difficult to say, perhaps in these days of renewed One word in conclusion. Is it not a matter of interest in Arctic and Antarctic research, she regret that those ships, which from their record will do several more voyages to polar regions, of service in battle or exploration, or from their and, if so, we may expect add fresh laurels to connection with some national hero, are not her already renowned name. After? Well, had preserved from the ship-breaker and curiosity- we the necromancer’s crystal ball we might look monger? How much more worthy of a great into the future and see her in the sunset of her nation is the sight of H.M.S. “Victory” lying days engaged in some useful work as a store at anchor in Portsmouth Harbour, a constant ship or coal hulk. This is all we dare hope for object lesson to all of England’s greatness, than her, but without doubt her name will be carried that of the “Foudeoyant” being chopped up into on through many years until the remote period tables, chairs and other household furniture, when no more discovery remains to be done. for sale at so much a piece; or Captain Cook’s Those who sail in these future ‘Discoverys’ will ‘Discovery’ ending her days as a convict ship. We no doubt take, as we do, and interest in the know from an old print in the Ward-room that voyages of her namesakes, not the least amongst ‘Discovery’ III. was a convict ship at Deptford in which, we may venture to say, will be the voyages 1828. We have an idea, however, that afterwards of ‘Discovery’ VI. one of our colonies bought her as a training ship for boys, but are not certain of this. ‘Discovery’ — HISTORICUS. V. we saw at Portsmouth while we were there

20 The National Antarctic Expedition

Th e Na t i o n a l An t a r c t i c Ex p e d i t i o n was jointly sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society. It was the first great land-based expedition to Antarctica and although an attempt at the Pole was among the objectives, geographical exploration and basic science were to be the prime pursuits. A specially designed and constructed ship, the 172-foot sail and steam powered Discovery, was built in Dundee, Scotland

(where it may be seen today). Robert Scott was on the Polar Plateau and to ascend an Antarctic chosen leader, a victory for Sir Clements Markham glacier. Another team went to Cape Crozier to (the Royal Society wanted the expedition under get Emperor penguin eggs, but they were too the command of a scientist). Discovery left England late, though this would be a prelude to the famous in August of 1901 and after stops along the way, “Worst Journey” on the Terra Nova expedition. reached the Ross Sea in early 1902. The Discovery was to leave for Winter Quarters were established home in 1903 but the ice still held at Hut Point on Ross Island. The her fast. The relief ship Morning Discovery was the first ship to visit got to within eight miles. Mail was the area since the voyage of Sir James exchanged, supplies transferred and Clark Ross in 1841. A prefabricated personnel reduced, Shackleton being hut was erected which still stands one that was headed home. The as an historic site at the edge of the Discovery was going to have to spend giant U.S. McMurdo Station. The another winter at Hut Point. 40 men, however, lived on board A year later, in February, two relief the ship, which was frozen in at the ships appeared on the horizon: the shore, while the hut was used for storage and such Morning and the Terra Nova. The ice conditions things as entertainments, including productions were no better this time and plans were proceeding of the “Royal Terror Theatre.” Up to this time to abandon the Discovery when at the last moment the exploration of Antarctica had been limited to the ice began to break up and the ship was once the coastal fringes. What lay beyond was entirely again afloat. The three ships headed north thus a matter of speculation. The first Antarctic aerial ending man’s longest stay in the Antarctic up to ascent was accomplished in a balloon named Eva that time. from which Shackleton took the continent’s first Over 900 miles of land and 150 miles of ice aerial photographs. From an elevation of 800 feet shelf were explored and a good start had been made Scott saw nothing but snow and ice stretching to along the South Polar Trail. ❧ the south. So when the Polar Party—Scott, Wilson —From Stephenson, Your Hero, My Hero; and Shackleton—set out on the 2nd of November, The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. 1902, they had little idea of what might lie ahead. There was difficulty with the equipment, the dogs, and with the weather, but they continued on and by the 30th of December they were at the furthest south yet attained by man—82° 16’ 33”. The limit had been reached and although the mountains and Polar Plateau were in sight, they turned homeward. They had been plagued by scurvy, Shackleton especially so. He was spitting blood and for awhile had to be carried on a sledge. They made it back to Hut Point, but just barely, on the 3rd of February 1903. While Scott was on the southern journey, Albert Armitage led a party to explore Victoria Land and Shackleton, Scott and Wilson set out for the Pole, the Western Mountains and became the first to walk 2 November 1902.

21 what was happening back then in may?

Th e Di s c o v e r y was in the Antarctic from early 1902 until early 1904. What was happening in May right around now during those two south polar winters?

“Outside, the snowdrift is so thick that one can- tremendous force that impelled it. The cowls not see a yard in front of one’s face; it is whirling of the mess-deck and wardroom funnels were and eddying about the ship in such a manner whirled away by one of the screeching squalls that were one to lose touch of a guide-rope he that scurried through the Discovery’s rigging. would be immediately lost. No one has been Shortly after, another storm-gust carried the outside for more than a few minutes, except head of the windmill away, snapping the thick the observers, and to-night even they are not steel standard as though it was a rotten carrot, going beyond the ship. . . . The tops of the and rendering the expensive plant useless for chimney-funnels have come off and gone heaven purposes of light in the future knows where; the result is a down-draught in the . . . . A drift 12 feet high was formed to wind- chimneys which at first filled the living-spaces ward of the ship by this blizzard, at a distance of with choking smoke until the fires were put out about 10 feet from the ship’s side. The back- and skylights closed again, and as we sit in rather draught caused by the wind blowing on the side chilly comfort below we can hear the wind howl- of the ship made a great hollow alongside, and ing through the rigging and the awning flapping the Discovery herself was simply smothered in noisily in its wild efforts to escape. snow. . . . In spite of the din without, the fireless —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, p. 97. condition within, and some anxiety as to what we shall find missing after the gale, we have had “It is so far the worst night that has been expe- quite an interesting debate in the wardroom rienced. . . . It was a proper blizzard, blinding on ‘Women’s Rights’; each man was allowed a snow drift and a wind rising to 80 miles an hour period of twelve minutes in which to set forth from time to time.” his views, and managed to cram into it as much Saturday 3 May 1902 nonsense as he could think of in that space of “The storm is still going on.” time; even the married men felt that it was an Sunday 4 May 1902 occasion on which they could speak with the “Snow drifting still. . .” utmost freedom.” Monday 5 May 1902 —Wilson, Diary of the ‘Discovery’ Friday 2 May 1902. Expedition, p. 139. —Scott, The Voyage of the “Discovery”, Vo l I, pp. 318-19. “We had fish for breakfast this morning, all hands, fresh fish. They worked out at1/2 lb. a “Tremendous snow drift almost burying the man before they were cooked. In the evening ship. She is a perfect picture of we had mutton and spinach. This winter now.” is the beginning of our winter Saturday 3 May 1902. —William Lashly’s diary luxuries routine.” (Under Scott’s Command, p. 40). Sunday 3 May 1903 —Wilson, Diary of the ‘Discovery’ Expedition, p. 256. “Commencing on May 2, and continuing until the 4th, a furi- “Spent the whole day bootmak- ous blizzard raged. During the ing…After dinner read a bit… afternoon of the 2nd the weather Wrote from 12 till 6 a.m. with a was gloomy and threatening, with meal of tea and buttered toast… a moderate easterly wind, which It was a perfect night, flat calm increased to a strong gale dur- and temperatures but little below ing the night, and, veering to the zero.” south-west, blew with renewed Tuesday 5 May 1903 vigour. The thickly falling snow —Wilson, Diary of the ‘Discovery’ was driven fiercely along by the Expedition, p. 257.

22 life in the wardroom

Th e w a r d r o o m , with the cabins opening from it, was for three years the home of eleven officers, including Captain Scott; a warm, wood-panelled room, 30 feet by 20 feet, with a huge stove at the after end, and a table down the centre. A player-piano provided entertainment for a conspicuously untalented mess, as far as musical accomplishment was concerned. And there a communal life was lived, while for sleep and privacy and work, which could not be carried out in the cheerful din, were the cabins.

The crew’s quarters were Armitage Barne Skelton Koettlitz Royds President pronounced his larger and, in one respect sentence, usually a fine at least, more comfortable, on the guilty one, in the for beneath them were the form of port all round. provision rooms and holds, Transgressors were few, which even in the coldest but there were some weather maintained a incurable delinquents, certain warmth. But below and I remember on one the wardroom was the occasion fining Shackleton Scott Bernacchi Shackleton Hodgdon Wilson coal-bunker, and the coal- five times during one meal, bunker communicated with the engine-room, for offering to bet that someone was wrong. and the engine-room with the weather. Payment for many rounds of port made opinion The temperature of the coal-bunker was open to modification. always below freezing-point, and although the —Bernacchi, Saga of the “Discovery”, p. 13. deck above us had been well-insulated, that Entertainment , however, sometimes became precaution had been overlooked in the deck almost a “Roman holiday”, and when Royds below, and except for a linoleum, we were was operated upon for a cyst on his cheek, the unprotected from the draughts. general reaction was one of pleasurable interest —Bernacchi, Saga of the “Discovery”, p. 13. rather than sympathy for the unfortunate victim. Dr. Koettlitz, nothing loath to perform the first Th e p e n g u i n s that had been killed for specimens operation in Antarctica, gladly prepared for the were frozen until Wilson could deal with them, event. The wardroom table became the operating and then brought into the wardroom to be table. I volunteered as nurse, and rolled up thawed out. They were generally placed on my sleeves to play the part convincingly, while beams that crossed the skylight over the table, Koettlitz brought from their hiding-places a and often remained there until they commenced formidable array of knives, pincers, scissors, lint, to ‘talk,’ as we termed the scent that evidenced gauze and bandages, explaining ghoulishly the their thawed-out condition. They then made exact function of each. Armitage took charge of a hurried exit. In time we grew quite adept at the phial of patent freezing mixture, and the rest distinguishing, as we entered the wardroom, of the wardroom gathered round. The effort at whether the bacteriologist, the zoologist, or the first was not a success, for the freezing mixture biologist, had been hardest at work. . . . functioned so thoroughly that the knife would —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, p. 100. not penetrate the skin, and while we waited for it to thaw a little, all joined in terrifyingly reassuring It w a s a w a r d r o o m regulation that each member remarks to the patient. Again the knife was took his turn as President of the mess. Installed applied, and this time, to our intense satisfaction, at the head of the table, and invested with a little blood flowed. Our questions as to whether it hurt wooden mallet, he was charged with the duty or not brought a most emphatic “Yes”. But the of keeping order between the grace—“Thank cyst was removed and the cheek stitched up, and God”—with which our dinner started, and the Royds was distinguished for the rest of his life drinking of the King’s health. No betting was by a diminutive scar, a record of the first surgical allowed, nor any suggestion of even a mild oath, operation performed in Antarctica. and if anyone offended the gavel fell, and the —Bernacchi, Saga of the “Discovery”, p. 51.

23 life in the wardroom FOOD & drink

Fo o d was of constant concern to those on the Discovery expedition. While sledging one’s life depended on the right type and quantity of food. Back at winter quarters the tedium of inactivity and constant darkness made food a frequent topic of conversation and within the minds of the men, an object of obsessive longing.

Th e We d d e l l seal formed our staple meat ances, for at times there was more than a little diet, more especially during the second year. ground for complaint. Its flesh is a dark brown colour and coarse- —Bernacchi, Saga of the “Discovery”, p. 46. grained. If attended to properly by the cook, Cl a r e n c e Ha r e , the Assistant Steward, gives this thawed gradually, and all fat eliminated, it is very as a weekly menu in August 1902: palatable, and readily lends itself to any culinary treatment—like beef, for instance. By itself, Mo n d a y without seasoning or sauces, etc., it is somewhat Breakfast–porridge, curry and rice, cold meat, flavourless—something like poor horse-flesh, cocoa or coffee. which I have had the pleasure of eating in the Dinner–soup, tinned boiled ham, potatoes, North Polar regions. For about nine months our turnips, fruit pie. cook did not appear able to tackle the problem Tu e s d a y of serving it with any variety; we had fried seal- Breakfast–porridge, tinned salmon, cocoa or steak day after day until many of us loathed the coffee. sight of it. Subsequently, with a change in the Dinner–soup, roast seal, potatoes, peas, gin- method of cooking it, we all voted Weddell seal ger pudding. real good eating, though I cannot say that I ever went so far as to declare it equal to fresh beef or We d n e s d a y mutton, as some of our company did. Breakfast–porridge, minced collops (tinned —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, p. 86. savory mincemeat), cocoa or coffee. Dinner–soup, beef pie, potatoes, haricot Ou r d i n n e r in the wardroom was no less a suc- beans, prunes and rice. cess. Fresh mutton, seal, turtle soup, tinned fish, Th u r s d a y jellies, plum duff, etc., formed a menu that no- Breakfast–porridge, sardines on toast, cocoa body need despise. Mr. Kinsey, of Christchurch, or coffee. New Zealand had generously given us some Dinner–soup, seal steaks, potatoes, carrots, magnums of champagne, and port and liqueurs milk pudding. were not wanting. —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, p. 113. Fr i d a y Breakfast–porridge, curry and rice, cocoa or Br e a k f a s t for both officers and men consisted coffee. of porridge, bread and butter, marmalade and Dinner–soup, cold tinned meat, potatoes, jam. During the active life we lived when day- haricot beans, stewed fruit. light was still with us there had been also hash Sa t u r d a y or stew or seal liver. Now in more sedentary days Breakfast–porridge, rissoles, cocoa or coffee. only seal liver tempted us to extend the meal. Dinner–soup, seal, potatoes, parsnips, roly- Soup, seal or tinned meat, and jam or fruit tart poly pudding. was the routine dinner varied on feast days by frozen mutton, and in all meals wardroom and Su n d a y mess-deck fared alike. The only difference was in Breakfast–porridge, cold tongue, tinned the time at which the meals were taken, the men salmon, cocoa or coffee. having dinner at noon, the officers at six in the Dinner–soup, fresh mutton, potatoes, peas, evening. The single standard in food had been a plum pudding. wise precaution against possible mess-deck griev- —Quoted in Yelverton, Antarctica Unveiled, p. 154.

24 . .

n October 31st. Mr. Skelton photographed these Ofirst crops grown upon Antarctic soil and the next day (November 1st) a quantity was cut up for the departing Southern Sledge expedition party who (helped by others), took it with their lunch, in sufficient and satisfying quantity. On November 8th., upon the occasion of the celebration of the birthday of the Patron of the Expedition, His Majesty the King, sandwiches were made for the whole of the Ship’s Company, and these appeared to be much appreciated by all. The onions, radishes, lettuce, and turnips were also sown in the same manner in soil, and fair crops of these also grown and made into salads upon occasion. Without doubt, however, the old favourites mustard and cress are the most profitable for obtaining good crops in polar climes, as they grow vigorously and, given sufficient accommodation, could be grown in large quantities.

SPES.

From The South Polar Times, Vo l II

25 life in the wardroom celebrations

Th e 22n d f e l l on a Sunday in 1902, so we sang ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow.’ The crew celebrated it on the following day. The mess- mustered at the wardroom door, and gave three deck was gaily decorated with coloured papers, cheers for the Captain and officers, receiving yet which were hung in festoons across the messes. another ration of grog in return. Each mess, too, had some special design, besides After dinner we sang songs, and imbibed being adorned with pictures and draped with punch—brewed by myself­—until it was time to flags. A large inscription in red letters on a turn in, thus ending a very enjoyable day. To me white ground read: ‘God bless the New Zealand it was a double celebration, as it was my father’s farmers.’ Some of the mutton given to us by birthday. I have no doubt that his thoughts them formed the pièce de résistance of our mid- turned to me on that date, most probably with winter dinners. Just before they commenced pity, as he remembered that it was Midwinter’s their dinner on the mess-deck, the Captain, Day in the Antarctic. Little did he, or, indeed, accompanied by all the wardroom party, any of our friends, imagine what a jolly day it was inspected the messes; and we wished the men for us. a jolly good time. The stokers’ mess invited us —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, pp. 112-14. to partake of some excellent ices that they had concocted. The Captain then distributed a box Ou r g r e a t w i n t e r festival was on midwinter of presents. These, together with the coloured day, and like old-time pagans we celebrated papers, had been sent on board by Mrs. Royds, with feasting and music the commencement mother of our First Lieutenant. She had been of the return journey of the sun. It was two most kind and thoughtful in getting together a months since its red disc had disappeared below present and card for each individual on board the the northern horizon, and never was pagan ship. The simple gifts afforded us more pleasure jubilation in honour of the returning life-giver than, perhaps, she had any idea of when she more heartfelt than ours. collected them. Mrs. Wilson, our zoologist’s The long night had not lacked interest. It wife, had sent us each a card, too. We left the had brought none of the horrors which might men to enjoy their good fare, and, to judge by have been feared. But the age-old worship the sounds of revelry that issued from the mess- persisted deep in the consciousness of each of us. deck, they did so most thoroughly. Were further The mess-deck was particularly gorgeous, with evidence required of the satisfaction afforded by chains and ropes of coloured paper, japanese their feast, it could be beard by anyone passing lanterns and gaily decorated tables, each with a through the men’s quarters some three hours fanciful ice centrepiece, lighted from within. And later, when the only sounds that broke the the stokers’ mess surpassed all in imaginative silence of the ship were the contented snores that design, with a finely carved ice head of Neptune. serenaded one from all sides. . . . It was the stokers, too, who displayed the most At the close of dinner the Captain’s health, originality in their selection of a special culinary coupled with that of the crew, was drunk, and we treat, the last thing in the world one would have

Midwinter Day Dinner 1902. In the Wardroom. . . . On the Mess-Deck.

26 thought of in such a land, and when the officers fruits, almonds and raisins, nuts, &c., came made their rounds, they were regaled with dishes the port and liqueurs, which brought us into of ice-cream. Then came the distribution of gifts good form for the enthusiastic speeches that provided by Royds’ mother, and an extra tot of followed. With such a dinner we agreed that rum, before we returned to the wardroom and life in the Antarctic Regions was worth living, our own dinner, which ended in an evening of and those who didn’t make speeches felt that song. Even the dogs caught the infection, and they must sing; and starting with “For he’s a joined with a chorus of wild barking, and the fun jolly good fellow,” twice repeated, the evening continued until the early morning hours, when continued with a regular “sing-song,” when we all went out into the calm, clear moonlight, everyone, regardless of talent, had to contribute to shout a final paean to the returning day. something for the common entertainment. One —Bernacchi, Saga of the “Discovery”, p. 55. could not help wondering what would have been the feelings of those sympathetic friends Ju n e 23.—We kept our mid-winter festival to- who imagined the polar night to be filled with day, as yesterday was Sunday, and the ship has gruesome horror, had they been permitted a been en fête. The mess-deck was gaily decorated glimpse of this scene of revelry. with designs in coloured papers and festooned —Scott,The Voyage of the ‘Discovery’, Vo l I, pp. 344-45. with chains and ropes of the same material, the tables were loaded with plum puddings, mince Ju n e 23.—Our second midwinter day has come pies, and cakes, mostly of home manufacture, and gone, finding us even more cheerful than but none the less “Christmasy” in appearance. the last. We made a great night of it last night; It seems that there has been quite a rivalry the warrant officers dined aft, and we had soup amongst the messes with respect to their made from a real turtle sent to us by our kind adornment, and the results which have been friend Mr. Kinsey, of Christchurch, and brought achieved with little more than brightly coloured over in the last sledge-load from the “Morning.” papers, a pair of scissors, and a paste pot are After this came tinned halibut, roast beef with really quite astonishing. On each table stands artichokes, devilled wing of skua as savoury, some grotesque figure or fanciful erection of ice, and the last of our special brand of champagne. cunningly lighted up with candles from within On ordinary nights we are now reduced to and sending forth shafts of sparkling light. enamelled plates and mugs, but we still hold in At 12.30, when all was ready, I went round reserve some crockery and glass for these special in procession with the officers, exchanging occasions, and it adds to our cheer to see our greetings for the season and accumulating table well appointed again. sweetmeats, cakes, and such dainties, offered After dinner we felt we must have some by each mess as a tribute of good will, and novelty, so someone suggested a dance. The table incidentally an evidence that we possess no was got out of the way, Royds went to the piano, inconsiderable amount of confectionery talent. and the rest of us assembled for a set of lancers, Next came the unpacking of a large box of one of the most uproarious in which I have ever presents provided by the kindly thought of Mrs. indulged. Then came cock-fighting and tugs of Royds, the mother of our first lieutenant, and war, and altogether we had as festive an evening the distribution of these and other Christmas as we have ever spent. gifts sent by friends in the Old Country to —Scott,The Voyage of the “Discovery”, Vo l II, p. 189. gladden our winter season. Everyone was remembered, and with all in high spirits the distribution occupied the time with jest and laughter, until we left the men to enjoy their Christmas fare with an extra tot of grog. At six we had our dinner in the wardroom, with the table decorated and the display of all our plate. Starting with turtle soup, we passed on to a generous helping of mutton, and from that to plum pudding, mince pies, and jellies, all washed down with an excellent dry champagne. With a largely assorted dessert of crystallised

27 We i n t h e w a r d r o o m were engaged in weightier so. ‘Would Conscription Benefit the Empire matters, preparing debates, for example, on such generally?’ produced a majority against forced subjects as “Women’s Rights” and other long- military service. Humorous speeches were made dead problems, which occupied the mind of on ‘Spiritualism’ and ‘Sport.’ But perhaps the man at the beginning of the century. On these most interesting of all our debates were those occasions the less one spoke the more one said. entitled ‘Seals and their Habits,’ Wilson giving There was even one memorable evening when us a delightful paper on the subject; ‘Is South the rival merits of Browning and Tennyson came Victoria Land Part of an Antarctic Continent or up for judgment. Shackleton backed Browning not?’ and ‘What are our Prospects of Successful while I, more sentimental then, argued for the Exploration in the Discovery, to the East and moving depths of beauty to be found in the West, when the Ship is Freed from her Winter- verses of the Poet Laureate. Whether by my Quarters?’ masterly exposition or because the wardroom —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, p. 96. generally shared my preference, Tennyson won—although only by one vote. Th e f o l l o w i n g subjects have been thoroughly —Bernacchi, Saga of the “Discovery”, pp. 47-48. sifted during the past month at the dinner table of the British National Antarctic Expedition:– Di s c u s s i o n s were held during the following The capability of Peacocks to stand an English weeks on such subjects as the following: ‘What winter. Meteorological Conditions are likely to Prevail at The cultivation of Tea and Indiarubber. our Winter-Quarters during the Winter—Settled The advisability of saying “Good morning” at or Unsettled?’ Five of our number considered breakfast. that the former condition would prevail, and Glacier action in Antarctic Regions. five thought that we should have generally Crinolines, and the chance of their revival. unsettled weather. One of the most amusing The word “fact” as a synonym for debates was that on ‘Woman’s Rights,’ all of us, “probability”. with the exception of Hodgson, being agreed Schopenhauer’s views on Womanhood. that the fair sex suffered from disabilities, in Terra-cotta Tablets and Lime-juice nodules. comparison with man, that should be remedied; The bottom of a tumbler. and that they should have, when capable of The treatment of absurd statements by maintaining them, equal rights with man. ‘Our “smuggindifference”. Commercial Supremacy: Are we taking Proper The influence of Poetry on certain people, and Measures to Maintain it?’ drew forth the opinion The braying of an ass. of the majority that we are certainly not doing —From The South Polar Times, Vo l . II.

28 life in the wardroom Music & entertainment

It w a s a s i n g u l a r f a c t that we had only one broke down, after thoroughly proving what a musician amongst the officers of the expedition. great amount of work it was capable of. One or two could manage to strum a popular —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, pp. 100-01. antediluvian tune or two, but Royds was the Th e c o n c e r t programme of 1st May is typical of only officer who could perform with pleasure the artistic standard of our entertainment. to his companions. On most evenings he would delight us with his playing, and no doubt, as was Lantern slides showing the building, launching, the case with myself, each of our small number and sailing of Discovery. would find his thoughts ‘homeward-bound’ as Song The Old Flag...... Mr. A. Pillbeam. some well-known air reminded him of his dear “ Annie Laurie...... Mr. Allan. ones in the Old Country. Of course we could “ Where Grows the all manipulate the pianola with more or less Sweetest Flower...... Mr. Duncan. success. It was a great source of entertainment. “ The Cobbler...... Mr. Page.[see below] Royds, naturally, was the best performer, but “ Old and New...... Mr. Bernacchi. there were others of us who imagined that we “ Vicar of Bray...... Mr. Wild. possessed no mean skill, and who would sit at “ McPherson’s Feud...... Mr. Clarke. the instrument for an hour or two rattling off Go d Sa v e Th e Ki n g the finest compositions one after another in the What we lacked in artistic merit, we made up in most brilliant style. Eventually, some months enthusiasm. before the Discovery was released, the pianola —Bernacchi, Saga of the “Discovery”, p. 48.

the cobbler—A song sung in the wardroom

Oh, me name is Dick Darby, I’m a cobbler, And no matter what I may do with her, I served me time at old camp. Her tongue it goes clickety-clack. Some call me an old agitator Chorus But now I’m resolved to repent. It was early one fine summer’s morning, Chorus A little before it was day; With me ingtwing of an ingthing of an idoh I dipped her three times in the river With me ingtwing of an ingthing of an iday And carelessly bade her “Good day!” With me roobooboo roobooboo randy, Chorus And me lab stone keeps beating away.

Now, my father was hung for sheep stealing, My mother was burned for a witch, My sister’s a dandy housekeeper, And I’m a mechanical switch. Chorus

Ah, it’s forty long years I have travelled, All by the contents of my pack; Me hammers, me awls and me pinchers, I carry them all on my back. Chorus

Oh, my wife she is humpy, she’s lumpy, My wife she’s the devil, she’s black;

29 Life in the wardroom the south polar times

At a m e e t i n g held in the wardroom, it was being admired very much indeed, and the decided to bring out a monthly paper something reading matter well edited. like a London magazine. Each of us wrote on a —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, p. 95. piece of paper what we thought the best title for this Southern publication. The South Polar Times was the one chosen. Shackleton was appointed Th e South Polar Times, a monthly journal, editor, and Wilson principal artist. It was to be was another wardroom effort, though many published on the 1st of each month; and every fine and red-blooded contributions came from member of the ship’s company was invited to the lower deck. Ernest Shackleton showed an contribute towards making it the most amusing, especial aptitude for Kipling-esque verse. Under instructive, up-to-date journal, with the largest the modest nom-de-plume of “Nemo” he circulation of any periodical within the Antarctic gave us rolling sonorous rhythms. One of his Circle. It was to combine all the best qualities contributions was “To the Great Barrier”: of all the penny and halfpenny London dailies, together with those of the superior comic papers, Mother of mighty icebergs, these Kings of the as well as of the fourpenny-halfpenny and half- Southern Seas, crown monthly magazines. Notwithstanding this Mystery, yet unfathomed, though we’ve paid in full super-excellence, The South Polar Times was to our fees, be issued free to all the population of our small Eyes strained by ceaseless watching, when the low colony, the cost of production being more than grey fog doth screen covered by the grateful feelings of the recipients, Your walls from our aching vision, and the great to say nothing of the advertisers. Needless to say grim giants you wean that a rival magazine which was brought out, Away from your broad white bosom, where for named The Blizzard, whose contents consisted aeons untold is laid of poetical effusions rejected by The South Polar Each yearly tribute of fallen snows, that this wonderful plain has made. Times, did not survive the first number. On We have felt, more than seen, the danger close ahead most days during the first month of the winter of our long jib boom, the clicking of the typewriter could be heard in But a turn of the icy wheel has made for us more sea Shackleton’s cabin as he busily ‘set up’ the paper; room. and frequently a shy and conscious-looking We have sailed from your farthest West, that is blue-jacket would enter the editor’s sanctum bounded by fire and snow, to ask that worthy man’s advice. A carved box We have pierced to your farthest East, till stopped by was placed outside the office for the receipt the hard-set floe, of contributions, but would-be authors much We have steamed by your wave-worn caverns; dim, preferred a personal audience; so our editor, blue, mysterious halls. in self-defence, removed his office fittings to a We have risen above your surface, we have sounded storeroom in the bowels of the ship, where the along your walls. wicked ceased from troubling, and his poetical And above that rolling surface we have strained our eyes to see, nerves were at rest. But league upon league of whiteness was all that —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, p. 88. there seemed to be. Ah, what is the secret you’re keeping, to the Ap r i l 23 was a notable day, for it marked the Southward beyond our ken? disappearance of the sun, a total eclipse of the This year shall your icy fastness resound with the moon, and the debut of The South Polar Times. voices of men? —Armitage, Two Years in the Antarctic, p. 94. Shall we learn that you come from the mountains? Shall we call you a frozen sea? Th e f i r s t n u m b e r of The South Polar Times was Shall we sail to the Northward and leave you, still a voted a great success, the illustrations by Wilson Secret forever to be?

30 The screen of anonymity encouraged We even had a sports page, and our versifying, and another contributor calling correspondent on the lower deck reported the himself “Fitz-Clarence”—in private life exciting progress of sporting events there in the Lieutenant Michael Barne—heralded returning style of a professional cricket observer: day: The first of what has proved an interesting contest There steals upon us day by day a change; of skill occurred on the evening of 8th May, when Stealthily creeping o’er the Antarctic world, Mr. H. Blissett met Mr. W. Peters in an exciting Three months of night in seeming endless range game of Shove ‘Apenny. The final score was three to nil in favour of Mr. Blissett. Mr. Peters, however, Into a realm of twilight have unfurled. contested every game closely and it was not until the final point was scored that the result was at all Night’s shadowy form, yet bending darkly o’er, certain. Her wings, erstwhile outspread, begins to fold, And wakening Day proclaims his reign once more On Friday Mr. Heald played Mr. Wild, and by Casting before him beam on beam of gold. some phenomenal play in the first game, managed to score amid loud and ringing applause. Here, Now fades the silver crescent to the view, however, his effort ceased to gain the required Isis, the goddess of our night is spurned; chalks, and Mr. Wild, whose play had been very Her beauty faded into opal hue, steady, soon forged ahead and playing a strong Her glory overcome, to dullness turned. finish, won handily; score, three games to one. The games had to be postponed on account of Yon distant Western mountains’ roseate sheen darkness . . . . On Monday, the moon came out Seems touched with brush of painter, great, early and the play was resumed . . . . unknown; Above them Venus hangs, pale beauty’s queen, As though in rapture drawn to Earthly throne. There were coloured caricatures of the officers on the lines of the then famous “Spy” Another less poetic outburst by the depicting all the eccentric and peculiar traits of same author dealt with the eternal round of the victim, extremely popular with all—excepting meteorological and magnetic observations: the victim; coats-of-arms, too, were assigned “An Observation! what is that?” I think I hear you to each, combining the fertile ideas of the say, wardroom but artistically drawn by Wilson. “A scientific function that is practised every day?” But the South Polar Times was designed to Not only every day, I fear, far oftener than that, be instructive as well as amusing, and articles A useless entertainment, and it fairly knocks me flat, by the scientific staff dealt lengthily with such To ascertain the object of this idiotic game subjects as Polar Plant Life, Antarctic Seals, Of taking observations, is my everlasting aim. Geology of the Antarctic, Terrestrial Magnetism, To be aroused from slumber at the deadest of the The Mariner’s Compass. One copy only was night, published, typed out by Chief Steward Ford, To take an observation, gives us all a morbid blight; with spaces left on almost every page for How in the name of all that’s blank, can Wilson’s illustrations. On the day of publication temperatures down here it was ceremoniously handed to Captain Scott, Concern those scientific men at home, from year to year? and after making the rounds of the wardroom To us alone they matter, for it’s cold enough, alas! passed on to the mess-deck, and was read and To freeze the tail and fingers off a monkey made of re-read until it was almost worn out. brass. —Bernacchi, Saga of the “Discovery”, pp. 48-51.

31 ANTARCTICA LEAVES FROM A DIARY KEPT ON BOARD AN EXPLORING VESSEL.

by

C. REGINALD FORD, f. r. g. s. Member of the National Antarctic Expedition, 1901-4.

ANTARCTICA . . . . Ice has been sighted at last, and great is the excitement on board. We have reached the outer edge of pack ice, and to most of us it is a novel sight. Only a few small pieces go streaming past as yet, but they are the advance guards of the army of the Southern Ice King, whose fastnesses we are to invade, and are an earnest of the sterner foes ahead. . . . . Soon after meeting with the stream ice yesterday we reached the main body of the pack, and are now in the thick of it. It is a wonderful sight, and one so beautiful, so strange, and so totally unlike anything we have ever that it is difficult for many of us to go below such a large number together since we have and leave it. I have just mounted the rigging been in the ship. . . . We are having a succession to gain a better view. Stretching away to the of strong head winds. On Saturday we only horizon as far as the eye can see is one vast field made good fifty-five miles, and yesterday, even of glistening white rising and falling in gentle less, having made only thirty-two miles to the undulations in obedience to the long steady swell South. Weather appears more threatening, heavy of the ocean. The glare is intense, and yet it is gloomy clouds have shut out the land, and the not due to sunshine, for the sky is covered with glass is falling. We are evidently in for some bad a leaden mass of clouds. Up aloft a better view is weather. . . . Have been forced to take shelter obtained of the narrow lanes of water between under the lee of Coulman Island since yesterday. the floes, through which we have to thread our A violent gale is blowing, and we are in a way. Our path to the south is very tortuous. As dangerous position. . . . The gale has increased we force our way past the ice it makes a grinding, in fury, and we are finding it difficult to keep crushing noise, which occasionally drowns the our ground. The wind is coming down from quieter hum caused by the constant movement the heights with terrific force, and we are being up and down of the whole body. The ship slowly driven from our shelter. Our anemometer appears to be endowed with life as she pushes has recorded the wind’s speed as ninety miles an her way past the obstructing floes. Sometimes hour. The gale bears down with it whirlwinds of she meets a floe squarely, rises out of the water, blinding snow, which smothers our masts and crushes it with her own weight, and pursues her yards and rigging, and drifts in great heaps on path slowly but proudly to the South, as if there our decks. Volumes of spray are hurled on board, was no such thing as pack ice. . . . . The pack ice only to freeze as they fall. . . . . Have just had a is the ice which is formed by the freezing over of most unpleasant experience—the danger seems the sheltered seas and bays in the winter months. increasing. The ship was driven down amongst In the summer it breaks up and drifts north, some bergs, and in endeavouring to clear one we where it forms a belt of varying width around fouled another. Fortunately it was only a small the whole of the Antarctic area. one, and we struck it a glancing blow. It brought us up with a shock, and sent us staggering * * * * backwards, happily clear of the other berg...... On Saturday evening the ship was We have spent an anxious night, but the weather followed during a heavy snowstorm by an is now moderating, and we are congratulating immense flock of birds, principally Antarctic and ourselves that in our first contest with the furies snow petrels. They remained with us for about of the Antarctic we are the victors. . . . an hour or an hour and a half. We have not seen * * * *

32 The ice seems alive with Adelie penguins to- sad struggle for existence which weeds out all day, every floe having its quota of these strange but the strongest. The courage of these penguins animals. As the ship approaches they stare at it is remarkable. If we interfered with one he would intently, evidently not knowing what to make attack us boldly—rushing at us, flapping his fins of such a strange and gigantic animal. When the and striking our legs with his beak. If knocked ship gets too near a floe the penguins rush off down, he does not run away, but as soon as he helter skelter into the water. To watch them is regains his feet, he rushes at his antagonist again, a source of continual pleasure, and their antics despite the fact that the latter is many times as cause much hearty laughter—their behaviour is large as himself. Their behaviour altogether wins so very droll. Some march along in groups, in a our interest and admiration. . . . most sedate manner. As they go along upright on their legs they look for all the world like men * * * * in miniature. Sometimes they toboggan along . . . . We have passed a large number of on their bellies, propelling themselves with a icebergs to-day. They are truly magnificent quick movement of the feet and flippers. In objects, and it is very difficult for me to find taking to the water they sometimes dive in head words to adequately describe them. The majority and sometimes feet first. In the water—as I was were of the typical Antarctic shape, having flat able to see to-day for the first time owing to the tops and regular perpendicular sides. Most of clearness of the water in Robertson Bay—their them were under a quarter of a mile in length, speed is almost incredible. . . and showed not more than 100 feet above the I landed at Cape Adare this evening. It is surface of the water, but two or three were much at this spot that the Borchgrevink Expedition larger—one being seven miles long, and having wintered a year or two back. There is a large a height of not less than 200 feet. Some of them rookery of Adelie penguins here. The shore were much worn and were evidently of great age, literally swarms with them—there must be many while some had apparently only been recently thousands. And not content with occupying separated from the parent mass. A few of the the beach we saw hundreds perched up the former had their sides carved out by the action of cliffs at great heights, and in almost inaccessible the water into the most beautiful caves, to which positions. As they are so unsuited for climbing, entrance was gained through numerous arches to gain these heights must be arduous work of exquisite design, These arches glistened in for them, and it is difficult to imagine why they the sunlight with the most beautiful and delicate choose to do so. There is no enemy from which iridescent hues, whilst the interiors of the eaves height will save them. Can it be the survival of displayed rich shades of azure and violet. Some an old habit dating back to the days of their bergs had been overturned, and now presented ancestors, who indulged in flight? They have a their former under surface to view, all worn into striking appearance. In height they run up to fantastic shapes which imagination fashioned into about thirty inches. Their heads and backs are strange likenesses of castle and pyramid, tower of black, and they also have a black ring round and steeple. Very late in the evening the sun the throat, which joins the black of the head. shone redly through the haze, and the scene was The bright little eye is set in the centre of a very wild, and seemed to be unreal, to belong perfectly white ring, which helps to give the to another world. The icebergs appeared to have Adelie penguin its characteristic appearance. The been painted by an invisible hand in wonderful bill is short and straight. The breast is glossy tints of crimson and purple and gold, and white. The young bird is furnished with a coat of presented a pageant of extraordinary splendour. brown down. There are numbers of young at the rookery, standing together in small groups, with * * * * four or five adult birds doing sentry-go on the . . . . We are still passing along the Great outside while the remainder of the parents are Ice Barrier. It was difficult at first to grasp away in the pack seeking food. This they bring its magnitude. I must confess to some little to the young in their mouths, and the favoured disappointment. I had expected to find it higher. youngster—who is always the strongest one— But as we sail along its northern face its true pops his head right inside its parent’s mouth for grandeur and magnificence appeal to me more its food. The large number of dead penguins and more. Also something of its mystery enforces here testify to the enormous mortality and the itself on my imagination. The greatest height we

33 have found is less than 300 feet, and this was bridge and forecastle head. These peer intently exceptional. The average height is much less. into the gloom, every eye and ear is alert, and But what uncounted billions of tons of ice this heads are craned forward, for mere inches are wonderful formation must contain, measuring now important. This sort of thing goes on as it does several hundreds of miles in length for hours, until the suspense becomes almost and breadth. The height rises and falls. It is now unbearable. Then suddenly sharp ears catch the 250 feet, now only 50, then 100, and again sound of the sullen roar as the icy sea dashes up to 250 feet. The Barrier is occasionally very furiously against the cliffs of an iceberg. It is broken in outline—it is not so regular as I had impossible to be sure of the direction of the expected from the descriptions and pictures in sound—it may come from any point. The ship the books of our predecessors in these waters. is kept fast moving, for it is more dangerous to . . . . About 12.30 a.m. we tried to pass stop than to go on; the watchers increase their between a large berg and the Barrier, but after vigilance, and if anyone has any remark to make sailing several miles, found that the berg was it is made, almost unconsciously, in a whisper. connected to the Barrier at the end, and we The crew are at their stations for working the had to retrace our steps. I wonder what would sails if it is necessary. Suddenly a hoarse shout have happened had a southerly gale sprung up breaks the silence—the berg is sighted. The suddenly? The berg and the Barrier would have obscure lines of a grey monster loom up out made an excellent pair of nut-crackers, with us of the fog, possibly right across the vessel’s for the nut! . . . . The Barrier face is in places path. A sharp order from the captain on the much worn. There are several whales and many bridge—round goes the helm, and all hands bergs about. . . . Most of the icebergs which work with fierce energy shifting the yards. A we have met are blocks which have become few minutes, which seem hours, of breathless detached from the face of the Barrier by the suspense pass by. “Shall we clear it?” is the action of the sea. Seeing the great length of question in the minds of all on board. The ship the Barrier, there is no reason to assign small begins to gather way on her new course, and all limits to the length of the bergs, but seeing that give a sigh of relief as she makes away from the we have found the greatest height to be rather towering walls of a vast berg. But clearing one less than 300 feet, the gigantic bergs so often berg may only bring you inconveniently close reported as reaching heights of 1000 and 1500 to another, and so the manœuvre is repeated. feet may be ruled out of court. . . Many a time is the sound of breaking surf or groaning ice heard, while in vain the keen eyes * * * * of the watchers seek to pierce the impalpable The temperature has fallen considerably, grey cloud. All eyes and ears are strained to and new ice is forming on the surface of discover the whereabouts of the dreaded berg, the water. To render our position still more which perhaps we never see, but which is, unpleasant, a dense mist has fallen on us, nevertheless, a potent danger. . . . obscuring everything. Two days have passed during which we have been sailing in an * * * * unknown sea, shrouded in fog, and surrounded We are anchored in a small bay, which on all sides by snow and ice. The mist brings has been selected as our winter quarters. with it a sense of dread and peril—the Preparations for the winter are being hurriedly birds vanish. and the silence becomes more pushed forward. Huts for magnetic and other noticeable—the cold seems to grow in intensity. observations are being erected, the boats The ice, which had been glistening in the light are being landed, etc. . . . At last the ice has of the powerful sun, becomes cheerless and formed solidly round us, and we are safely full of hidden dangers. The fog crystallises on frozen in for the winter. . . . masts and yards and all the net work of ropes, The sun now performs his daily journey and converts the ship into a creature of the low down in the sky, and our surroundings are mist itself. The speed of the ship is necessarily rendered unutterably beautiful by sunsets which reduced, and she appears to be reluctant to last for hours. To-night the rugged peaks of the proceed, afraid to thrust her blunt bows into Western hills, tipped with ruby flame, seem to the greyness beyond. She seems to share the swim in a rosy vapour, while the ice-floe is one uneasiness of the anxious watchers on the vast rose-coloured field with violet shadows. . . .

34 * * * * the ship! The tins of meat in the locker nearest Yesterday we celebrated our mid-winter day. the galley—not more than four feet from the We kept it as a sort of Christmas. A few luxuries, stove—are frozen so hard that they have to be such as plum pudding and cakes, were produced issued to the cook the night previous to use to from the depths of the hold, and we had quite enable him to get them thawed properly for the a jollification. Everybody appears so well and morning’s meal. . . . happy, and it is difficult to believe that we have spent two months without seeing the sun. The * * * * sun set on April 23rd, and will not rise again . . . . A blizzard has been blowing for two until August 23rd, that is, we are in the middle days and nights, and seems likely to continue. of a night which is four months long. Truly this We can do nothing but remain on board until it is a strange land! Every twenty-four hours is alike blows itself out. The roar made by the wind is in its darkness and sombre silence. The time terrific. It goes howling and shrieking through passes slowly, but I think none of us feel time the rigging in a really frightful manner. It seems hanging heavily on our hands. There is plenty of almost impossible that any masts can stand such work and amusement for everyone. We have a treatment. No one ventures outside unless they regular routine of work, which goes on just as if are actually compelled to do so, and then they the sun rose and set every day. . . have to be completely clothed from head to foot, . . . . The temperature is very low, being just as if they were going out for a month. But constantly well below zero Fahrenheit. To-day observations have to be carried on despite the the minimum thermometer registered –47° F., weather, and this duty is not shirked by those viz., 79 degrees of frost. These low temperatures responsible. Life lines have been rigged up from are not bad when there is no wind, which the ship to the observation screen and huts, and unfortunately is very rarely the case, but the the observers go along the line hand over hand, slightest breeze makes a minus temperature frequently having to stop and hang on by both hard to bear, and we have to be very carefully hands to avoid being blown away. To be out in a clothed before venturing out. Frost bites are blizzard is really a trying experience. You try and fairly common amongst us, but none serious yet. turn your back to the wind, but it is hopeless, it Perhaps the worst discomfort we experience on seems to surround you. The snow doesn’t fall in board the ship due to the low temperature, is the flakes as in an ordinary snow-storm at home, but damp. The difference in the temperature outside is driven by the wind into hard fine particles like and inside the ship causes much condensation, sand, and this icy sand attacks you everywhere. and as a consequence the deck overhead and the The particles force their way into your nostrils ship’s side in our living quarters are constantly and your eyes, fasten to your eyelashes, and then dripping with moisture. The moisture running freeze, so that before you can open your eyes down the sides freezes, until the side is covered you must first rub off the ice. Anyone who has with a sheet of ice which drips continually as if tried to do this with a fur mit will appreciate it was thawing. We have constant work to keep the discomfort of it—to use a mild expression. the sides clear of moisture and ice. Those of The unexposed portion of your face is soon us who sleep in bunks have covered the ship’s covered with a mask of ice. To see a yard ahead side near them with baize to try and stop the is absolutely impossible—you can only struggle condensation which wets our bedding through. on along the life line. Sometimes these blizzards Coal sacks have been nailed to the outside of last two days, but often three. We have a goodly the ship, hoping that they may in some measure number of them, but not more than two in any prevent cold striking through. In the Issue one week as a rule. . . . Room, where the food stores for ready use are kept, which is only three or four yards from the * * * * galley fire, there is more condensation than in . . . . To-night is perfectly glorious. The most parts of the ship. The drips seem to freeze moon is shining brightly, and everything looks so so rapidly that a shelf along the ship’s side soon strangely beautiful and almost unreal. The ship, has to support a great block of ice. If it is left for after the blizzard, is shrouded in snow, her masts a fortnight there is sufficient ice there to require and yards, and the labyrinth of ropes are outlined a couple of hours’ work to chip away. And this in glistening white. She appears something like I not more than twelve feet from the largest fire in imagine a phantom ship must appear, indeed she

35 does seem as if she were only a filament of the penguins, although in a more dignified manner. imagination, to vanish presently. Mounts Erebus They are indeed dignity personified. The most and Terror look magnificent in the silvery light. remarkable fact about these birds is, however, The former has a plume of smoke trailing away that they choose the coldest and darkest part from its crater. The majestic hills of the western of the year to lay their eggs and hatch out their range rear their snow-covered crests far into young. The lowest temperature yet recorded the deep blue vault of the sky, their dark cliffs at the ship is minus 68° F., viz., 100 degrees stand out sharply against their slopes of white. of frost, and at Cape Crozier the temperature The barrier stretches away to the South—a is usually lower than at the ship. Hence these vast plain of ice bounded only by the horizon. strange animals incubate the eggs possibly in But most wonderful and most eerie of all is the lower temperatures even than 100 degrees below perfect silence which is almost oppressive in its freezing point. The Emperors have no nests, completeness. I know of nothing to which it but the parent (either father or mother) rests can be compared. The open ocean on a calm the egg on its feet where it lies covered with a day in tropical climes is the nearest approach to lappet of skin which hangs from the abdomen. it that I am acquainted with, but the Antarctic The period of incubation is about six weeks, and silence transcends the silence of the most silent when hatched out the young chick is nursed in sea. There is not the cry of a bird, not the lap of the same manner as the egg. What a marvellous a wave, not the murmur of the swell, nothing fact this is—unparalleled I should imagine in but a deathlike and fathomless quiet. It is almost the whole story of animal life. When the young overwhelming. No written description can ever one is hungry it just pops its head out of its convey the reality to the imagination of one who hiding place and acquaints the parent of the has not experienced it. . . . fact. The young is clothed in steel-grey down. As with the Adelie penguins, there is a very high * * * * rate of mortality amongst the young. Strange . . . . Another beautiful night. Our walk to say much of the mortality in the case of the over the frozen sea to-night was rendered Emperor is due to the excessive maternal (or interesting by a display of the aurora australis— paternal) instinct which prompts these birds to that wonderful fleeting phenomenon which it is fight for the possession of a young one to nurse, impossible to describe. It was a picture which the during which fights the youngster either dies of invisible artist painted and repainted so rapidly cold or is pulled to pieces. Sometimes Emperors that the mind was unable to retain any distinct are found nursing dead chicks so strong is impression of any feature of it. Delicately tinted the maternal craving. When sleeping, the curtains, sharply defined arcs, clouds and shafts Emperor is seen with his bill tucked under his of light, came and vanished, and came again in fin—an interesting survival of a habit acquired such rapid succession that one could only stand uncounted years back in his life history when he and watch the fascinating spectacle in bewildered had a feather covered wing under which be could admiration. . . . shelter his head. . . .

* * * * * * * * The sledge party is back from Cape Crozier, . . . . I walked to Seal Bay to-day to take and the doctor and his companions have gleaned some more photographs of the seals. There is some interesting facts in the life history of the a large number of Weddell seals there and I Emperor penguins from the study of those in was able to secure some interesting snapshots. the rookery there. These are the largest and The Weddell seal is a splendid animal, handsomest of the penguin family. They stand measuring some ten feet in length, and having nearly four feet high, and weigh up to ninety a handsomely dappled coat, which is darkest pounds. Around the neck is a band of rich on the back. The black or dark grey of the back orange, which shades into lemon yellow, and merges imperceptibly into the creamy white of then white on the breast. The bill is long and the breast. They have such human eyes and seem slender, and is brightened by a strip of colour. so trustful that the necessity which compels us They are not in the least afraid of men, and when to kill them is hateful to us. They lie about the they meet a human intruder betray the same floe everywhere, basking in the sunshine, some curiosity as do their smaller cousins, the Adelie on their backs and some on their sides or bellies.

36 We can pass in and out amongst them without their displaying any sign of fear. If we give them Th e r e a r e b u t three contemporary published accounts of the Discovery expedition written by a dig with our ski-stick they roll over away from members of the expedition: Two Years in the us, looking at us with an expression of aggrieved Antarctic by Albert Armitage (1905), The Voyages surprise and wonder, but take no further notice of the “Discovery” by Robert F. Scott (1905) and the unless the interference is persisted in, when they above very rare account by C. Reginald Ford which, will make off in a lumbering way, which is really although undated, appeared probably in 1906 or most comical, occasionally glaring back to see 1908. (Although not accounts per se the two volumes if the enemy is still in pursuit. I photographed of The South Polar Times, the first edited by Shackleton a newly born seal to-day. It measured over and the second by Bernacchi—both published in 1907—may rightly be included as well; perhaps, too, four feet in length. The baby wore a rather sad Doorly’s The Voyages of the “Morning” (1916) though expression, as if it realised that it was born into this focuses on the relief of the Discovery.) Little is a cold and unsympathetic world. It had a black known about Ford’s effort and the circumstances and yellow-grey woolly coat—the head was quite behind its appearance. It is a thin little limp-bound unlike the head of the adult seal. We see nothing booklet, only 32 pages, measuring 4 5/8 by 6 inches of the other species of Antarctic seals here. They and includes 13 black and white photo illustrations. It are evidently confined to the pack. But even appears to have been re-issued in 1908 (New Zealand there we saw only a few of them. The Weddell Booklet Series No. 7) as such an edition was sold seals outnumber all the others. We owe a good both at the Gaston Renard Antarctica auction in 1994 and the High Latitude auction in 1996. If so, deal to our friend the Weddell—we have lived on its appearance here may well be the third issue. him for some months with occasional changes to Skua Gulls. . . . Ch a r l e s Re g i n a l d Fo r d was born in London and joined the expedition from h.m.s. Vernon as Ship’s * * * * Steward. He settled later in New Zealand and became a well-known architect. Sir Clements Markham notes To-day a final charge of guncotton released in his Personal Narrative: “Single. Plays the piano. the ship from her icy prison, and she is again Type writes. Broke his leg.” Ford’s typewriting skills afloat after over two years’ confinement. For were employed by the editors of The South Polar the last forty-eight hours we have been working Times. As to the broken leg, it occurred during a skiing without cessation preparing for sea. . . . . competition, the first such injury in the Antarctic. The last of our familiar landmarks has just Scott noted that the “fracture healed with remarkable faded on the southern horizon. We are all ready rapidity, and in less than six weeks Ford was able to to return to civilization, and none more than resume his duties.” Scott earlier wrote of Ford: “As I, and yet I cannot but regret that I shall never ship’s steward is a specially important individual in an exploring vessel; he has to keep the most exact see these wonderful regions again. While gazing account of the stores that are expended, and of to the south from our poop this evening I gave those that remain; he has to see that provisions are expression to this feeling of regret to our senior properly examined and properly served out, and that Surgeon. But he said, “You may see them again, everything is stowed below in such a manner that it is and you probably will.” I wonder if I shall? The forthcoming when required. I had difficulty in filling Antarctic has its dark side, but it has a bright and this post . . . but eventually I decided to give it to beautiful, ay, and fascinating side, too. ❧ C.R. Ford, who, although a very young man without experience, showed himself to be well fitted for it in other respects. He soon mastered every detail of our Printed by Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, Christchurch stores, and kept his books with such accuracy that I could rely implicitly on his statements.” Scott still later recorded that “I found that Ford had become cook for the few who remained on board, and that, as a result of studying Mrs. Beeton’s cookery book, he was achieving dishes of a more savoury nature than we had thought possible with the resources at our command.”

Ford’s journal is in the collections of the Auckland Institute and Museum, New Zealand.

C. Reginald Ford Note: The format of the ellipses in the original printed version is obscure at best and has not been corrected here.

37 Dundee Excerpts from the Encyclopedia Britannica, Ninth Edition 1878

Du n d e e , a royal and parliamentary burgh and seaport, is situated on the east coast of Scotland, in the county of Forfar, on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, twelve miles from the confluence of that estuary with the German Ocean. It is the third town in Scotland as regards population, and the second in commercial importance. Its latitude is 56°27’N., its longitude 2°58’W.; it is distant from Edinburgh 42 miles N.N.E., from Perth 22 miles E., and from Forfar, the county-town, 14 miles S. It extends nearly three miles along the shores of the Tay, and varies in breadth from half a mile to a mile; and the ground gradually rises towards the hill of Balgay and Dundee Law, the summit of the latter being 535 feet above the sea-level. Its general

Dundee is the chief seat of the linen manufacture foundries, breweries, corn and flour mills, and in Britain, and from a very early time appears confectionery and fruit-preserving works— to have had a special reputation in this branch Messrs Keiller & Son’s “Dundee marmalade” of industry. . . . It was not, however, till the having a most extensive reputation. The introduction of steam power, in the beginning prosperity of Dundee is in a large measure due of the present century, that there was any to its commodious harbour and its magnificent remarkable development of flax-spinning in docks. The harbour works extend about two Dundee. The first work of importance was the miles along the river side, and the docks, five in Bell Mill (which is still extant), built in 1806; number, cover an area of 35 acres Although they and the first power-loom factory was erected cannot compare in extent with those of London in 1836. Side by side with the extension of or Liverpool, they are probably unsurpassed in the linen trade has been that of jute spinning the kingdom for stability and convenience. . . . and weaving. Large cargoes of this material are There were built at Dundee, in 1876, 32 vessels imported into Dundee direct from India, and with a tonnage of 18,794, and at the end of that it is manipulated on an enormous scale. In fact, year the shipping belonging to the port consisted the manufacture of flax, hemp, and jute fabrics of 156 sailing vessels [and] . . . 38 steamers. . . . constitutes the staple trade of the town, and Eleven of the steamers are in the seal and whale supports, directly or indirectly, the great bulk of fishing trade, each making two voyages yearly to the inhabitants. There are upwards of seventy the Arctic Seas. . . . steam spinning-mills and power-loom factories, employing above 50,000 persons. Some of these History. — Dundee is said to have been at one buildings are of great size and considerable time called Alectum, but of this assertion there architectural elegance, those of Messrs Baxter, is no explicit documentary evidence. The earliest Messrs Cox, and Messrs Gilroy being especially authentic mention of the town is in a deed of gift conspicuous. These three afford employment by David earl of Huntingdon, dated about 1200, to above 12,000 hands. The principal textile which distinctly designated it “Dunde.” The productions are osnaburgs, dowlas, canvas, origin of the name is disputed, —some absurdly sheetings, bagging, jute carpeting, &c.; and the tracing it to the Latin Donum Dei, “the gift of total value of these fabrics annually produced God,” others to the Celtic Dun Dhia, the Hill has been estimated at upwards of £7,000,000. of God, others to Dun taw, the hill or fort on Among the other, industries of Dundee may be the Tay; the last named derivation is the most mentioned ship-building, engineering, tanning, probable. Dundee was erected into a royal burgh and leather manufactures (including shoemaking by William the Lion, and has always been a place by machinery), all of which are conducted of considerable importance, figuring conspicuously on a large scale. There are also considerable in the early history of Scotland. . . . ❧

38 From the Hut to the Ship in a Blizzard. Scene showing ‘Discovery’ in Winter Quarters. August 1902 issue of the South Polar Times. By Edward A. Wilson. The Discovery in Winter Quarters, Hut Point, McMurdo Sound. Looking south toward Observation Hill. E & TP-25